Child Passenger Safety Week

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sponsoring this year’s Child Passenger Safety Week, which will run from Sept. 21st to the 27th. Each year, we recognize this important campaign, which highlights the importance of how parents and caregivers can keep children safe in vehicles. 

Car Accidents and Children: Key Findings

Car accidents are a leading cause of death and injury for American children (age 14 and below). Here are some of the NHTSA’s most recent findings on these crashes:

• 1,129 children died in motor vehicle accidents in 2022. This number is 6% higher than the previous year.
• Over 156,000 children sustained injuries associated with being in a motor vehicle crash in 2022.
• On average, three children were killed and 429 others were injured in motor vehicle accidents each day in 2022. In 2023, two children were killed and 345 were injured daily.
• Approximately 40% of children killed in fatal motor vehicle incidents were unrestrained (not wearing a seat belt or secured in the proper booster or car seat).
• Of the 1,129 children killed in traffic crashes in 2022, an estimated 25% were killed in alcohol-impaired accidents.
• In 2022, 5% of cyclist fatalities and 2% of pedestrian fatalities were children.

Yet, another major factor behind injury-causing and deadly motor vehicle accidents involving infants and children is restraint use – or more specifically, a staggering lack thereof. According to the NHTSA’s data, child safety seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants under one year and by 54% for infants and toddlers between the ages of one and four years old in passenger vehicles. In light trucks, child safety seats reduce fatal injury rates by 58% and 59%, respectively. When it comes to seat belts, the NHTSA’s analysis found that lap/shoulder seat belts (when used correctly) reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat occupants age five and older in passenger cars by 45% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. Regarding light truck occupants, properly used lap/shoulder seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 65%. 

Despite the wealth of information confirming just how important it is to use proper restraint systems, children continue to sustain moderate-to-critical and fatal injuries due to being unsecured or improperly secured while riding as passengers in motor vehicles. For example, the NHTSA found that:

• Historically, overall restraint use for children was higher than rates demonstrated in the adult population; however, in recent years, the rates have become more similar.
• Child restraint usage rates decline as children age.
• Restraint use for children younger than 13 was 89.9% in 2021, 99.8% for infants under the age of one, and 86.8% for children ages eight to 12. In 2023, though, 43% of the children killed in motor vehicle crashes were unrestrained.
• Restraint use in children is more than just restrained versus unrestrained; it is crucial to employ the proper restraint use based on a child’s age and size.
• Surveys have confirmed the premature transition to restraint types that are not appropriate based on a child’s age, height, and/or weight.

To make sure that you are using the proper restraint system for your child, you can use the NHTSA’s Car Seat Finder tool at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#find-the-right-car-seat-find–compare-seats.

In honor of Child Passenger Safety Week, let’s do everything we can to keep our young passengers safe. If you have a legal question or concern about injuries your child sustained in a car accident, someone at our firm can help. Contact a representative online now.  

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP, Representing Injured Victims Since 1947

Contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP today. Call us at 800-222-USWA (8792) or fill out our online form for a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, we serve clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Allentown and Harrisburg.